Door latch



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March 14, 1944. C, T, PANKHURST 2,344,451

DOORv LATCH Filed oct. 10, 1941 y j J@ ,L

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Patented Mar. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OF 2,344,451 I Y v FICE *Y `nooit LATCH Y Charles Trumbo Pankh-urst, Ionia, Mich. I Application October 10, 1941, Serial No. 414,510

' 1 claim. 01. zsm- 335i This invention relates to door latches.

An object of this invention is to provide a door latch having a bolt tripping mechanism which is adapted to hold the bolt in a retracted position when the door is opened, and which upon closing of the door is adapted to release the bolt for movement to a latching position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a door latch which is so constructed that the closing of the door will trip the bolt holding mechanism so that the bolt may move to a latching position;

Another object of this invention is to provide a silently acting door lock or latch mechanism which will operate very easily and with an absolute minimum of any noise or sound and by reason of which a door or other closure may be noiselessly closed in locked or latched position.

Another object of this invention is to Vprovide a door lock or latch mechanism so constructed and capable of being arranged as to permitperfect streamlining of the door or Yother closure to which it may be applied.

A further object of this invention is to provide a latch construction of this kind which embodies a minimum number of parts so that it will not readily get out of order and so that it may be manufactured at a low cost.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will Abe more specifically rreferred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure lis a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line I--I of Figure 2 showing a door latching mechanism constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail inner elevational View of the device with the cover removed,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing the numeral I designates generally a swinging door which is mounted in a door frame generally designated as II. The door frame II is provided at one side thereof with a. vertically disposed jamb I2, and an abutment I3 is carried by the inner edge portion of the jamb I2 and against which the door I0 is adapted to engage so as to limit the swinging movement of the door ID in one direction relative to the frame II.

A door latching mechanism generally designated as I4`is secured to the door IIJ adjacent the free or swinging end thereof, and the latching mechanism I4 includes 'a housing formed with an inner wall I5, a rear wall I6, and a forward wall I l. Upper and lower Walls (not shown) are adapted to be interposed between the inner wall I5 andthe outer wall I8 which constitutes a portion of the door I0 so as to provide a completely closed housing within which the operating mechanism of the improved latch is adapted to engage. Y

A horizontally slidable bolt member I9 is slidable between upper and lower "guidev members and 2I which are fixed by fastening devices 22 and 23 respectively to the inner facel of the outer wall I8 of the door IU. The ybolt I9 is of a substantially rectangular configuration in transverse section so as to be freely slidable between `the parallel guide members 20 and 2|, and is formed at itsouter end with a latching bill 24.

The bill 24 is Vslidable, through an opening 25 which is formed in the forward wall I'I of the A housing I4 and is adapted to engage in a keeper or recess 26 lined with vulcanized rubber which is formed in the frame member I2. The bolt I9 is constantly urged to an-extending or latching position by means of an expansible spring 2l.

','I'he spring 2l at one end engages in a socket or recess 28 which is formed in the inner or rear end of the bolt I9 and the opposite or rear end of the spring 2l engages in a recess or socket 29 which is formed in a-plate 30. The plate 30 is `provided with a pair of Vears 3|, and the ears 3l are secured by fastening devices 32 to the inner side of the wall I8 of the door I0. A cover or plate 33 engages against the inner sides of the guide members 20 and 2| and is secured thereto Vby fastening devices 34. The bolt I9 adjacent .the forward end thereof and at a point spaced n inwardly from the bill 24 is formed with a downwardly opening notch 35 within which a bolt operating ypin 36 looselyV engages. The pin 36 is xed to a horizontally disposed shaft 3l which is Ajournalled inV an opening 38 formed in the outer wall I8 of the door I0 and also an opening 39 formed in the plate or inner wall I5 of the housing I4. A bearing 40 which is carried by an annular flange 4I fixed by fastening devices 42 is secured to the outer side of the outer wall I8 and encompasses the shaft 3l so as to rotatably support the outer portion of the shaft 31.

The shaft 31 at its outer end is provided with a handle 43 of suitable configuration so that the shaft 31 may be rotated in order to eiect retraction of the bolt I9 by engagement of the,y pin 36 against the rear wall of the notch 35. The shaft 31 is constantly urged to a bolt extending position by means of a spring 44 which at one end is secured to a pin 45 fixed to the shaft 31 within the housing I4, and the opposite end of the spring 44 is xed to a stationary pin 46 which may be fastened to the inner side of the outer wall I8 of the door I9. The spring 44 as here shown is a coil spring and is partly wrapped or extended about the periphery ofthe shaft 31 as shown in Figure 2, so as to (constantly, urge the shaft 31 to rotate in a direction to extend the bolt I9. The pin36 is adapted to limit the rotation of the shaft 31 ina direction to extend the bolt I9 by engagement of .the pin 36 with the forward end* of an opening 41 which is formed in the lower guide member 2 I.

The bolt I9 is also limited in its outward or latching movement by means of apair of opposed 1ugs48 which are secured to the opposite or upper and lower edges lof the bolt I9 at a point adjacent the rear end of the bolt I9, and the lugs 48 Iare slidable in elongated slots 50 and 5I .which are formed in the guide members 20 and 2| respectively. The lugs 48 may, if desired, be cast integral with the bolt I9 or may be secured thereto by means of a commo'nfastening device 52. The forward ends of the notches or Yslots 50 and 5I have mounted therein resilient bumpers 53 and 54 respectively, `so as to cushion the engagement of the lugs '48 and eliminate any noise when the `l1gs48stop the forward movement of the bolt I9 4under the action'of the spensef y, Trne bolt 'la is adapted to be ei'easably heid 'in a retracted "position byfmeans 'of a rele'asable trip'lever` 'or parte. The bar "sais rockably mounted for horiontal swinging movement' on a vertically disposedp'ivot 56. The lpivot 56 engages through apair of inwardlyextendingears '51 which lextend fonthe guide membersnahd ZI, and the pivot member. 56 is'eng'a'geab'le in a verticalopenin'g 58 is formed in the Vlever 55A. The ear's`j51a`re secured by meansrofxfasteningx'devices ,51? in recesses 51.b formed in opposite sides ofltheguides .20 and 2I.v The lever 55 adjacentY the rear*endtl'iereof andy on its forward :side has hsecuredhthereto an elongated bolt trip or holdingfmember; l5,9` which is preferably made Vof vulcanized rubber and whichvi's secured to the lever 55 by fastening' devices 60. TheV bolt I9 is formed in itsinner face with a notch or recess Tilv within which the trip member '59 is adaptedto releas'ably engage. f

The lever 55 is constantly urged to 'a Yholtengaging position by means of a spring 62 which at its inner end engages in av socket or recess 63 carried by an upstanding plate ,64 'secured by fastening Vdevices 65 to "the'upper edge of the lever 5,5. '.Ihe .opposite 'or forward end of the spring`62 engags in a socket' or recess 66 which is Aformedz'in 'the' upperguid'e member 2U adjacent the forward'er'l'd Offtlf'iis"rlflernbel,y The lever'55l at its forward'end hasV secuied'thereto aY lright angularly disposed and inwardly extending pin 61. The pin 61 loosely extends through an opening 68 which is formed in the inner Wall I5 of the housing I4, and the inner end of the pin 61 is disposed in a position for engagement with a lever tripping button or abutment 69. The button or abutment 69 is carried by the stop member or flange I3 of the frame II. 1n practice the opening 66 is a small round opening and the button or abutment is adapted to loosely extend into the inner end portion of the opening 68 when the door I 0 is moved to a closed position. In Figure :3 the latching lever 55 is shown in a bolt holding position with the tripping pin 61 extendedat its inner end a slight distance into V.the opening 68, so that when the door I0 is moved to a closed position, the abutment or button 68 will contact with the pin 61 and swing the lever 55 to a bolt released position.

In the use and operation of this latching mechanism the bolt I9 when ina latched position will be extended from the forward wall I1 ofthe housing I4 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Whenit is desired'to open the door, the handle 43 is rocked to shift the bolt I9 inwardly of the housing I4. When the bolt I9 is shifted inwardly of the housing I4 or to the left is viewed in the drawings, the spring 62 will cause the holding or tripping member '59 to engage in the recess or keeper 6I 'of the boltvI9 and thereby hold the-bolt i9 in a'retracted position. The bolt I9 will be held in the retracted position until the door ICI is closed whereupon the button 69 will engage the pin 61 and rock the lever 55 to a bolt releasing position. As soon as the holding member 59 is'moved out of engagement with the keeper 6I, the'spring 21 will shift the bolt I9 to a latching or extended position.

What is claimed is:

A door latch for mounting on a swinging door comprising an endwise movable bolt having a slot in 'one edge thereof and a keeper formed'in one side thereof adjacent the inner end, a housing for said bolt, spring means constantly urging said bolt to an extended position, -means for shifting said bolt to a retracted position, a bolt holding rock lever, means vpvotally supporting said lever between the ends of the latter, a resilient bolt holding member carried by said lever and engageable'with Saidke'eper for releasably holding said bolt in retracted position, an upstanding plate .carried by said lever, guide means yfor said bolt, a spring engageable with said 'plate and said guide means for vconstantly urging said lever to'a bolt holdingposition, an arm fixed to said lever on the side thereof opposite from said holding member and adjacent the en'd of saidV 

